Cervical cancer, which has been in the news of late, is associated with poor genital hygiene, early age of marriage, repeated pregnancies, and multiple sexual partners. The human papillomavirus or HPV is supposed to contribute to precancerous lesions which may progress to cancer. The majority of HPV infections are asymptomatic and resolve spontaneously. The prevalence of HPV infection in countries varies – ranging from 2% to 42%. Women living with AIDS have a much higher prevalence, around 54%.
Through genome sequencing, 200 HPV types have so far been identified. Among them, Type 16 HPV is supposed to pose the highest risk of cancer cervix, followed by Type 18. The strategy of preventing cancer of the cervix through HPV vaccination is based on this premise. Vaccination of pre-adolescence girls before onset of sexual activity is recommended. Two vaccines against HPVs, Gardasil (human…
